


Things we lost (and gain) in the fire

by TeitoxAkashi



Series: Afire Love [2]
Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Because I feel like it would be confusing without reading that one, Colonello is so attentive sometimes it scares Reborn, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Luce is being a bitch, M/M, Maybe read Clipped Wings before this one, Smut, This is the first time I wrote smut h e l p, just in case
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-04 06:11:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18337766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeitoxAkashi/pseuds/TeitoxAkashi
Summary: “Do you regret it, Hibari?” He did not look back.“… No.”And he was out of the office, leaving Tsuna to himself and his thoughts.Tsuna tighten his grip on his hands, leaning his forehead onto it as he sighed. ‘God, please. Open a new path for them.’It was beautiful, serene, untouched.A safe haven for all of them.‘But is it yours any longer, Reborn?’





	Things we lost (and gain) in the fire

His footsteps were silent, but it was still loud—too loud—in his ears. It was deafening, ringing, endless, death following him in his shadow. He headed down the long hall, to where the office was, to where his leader was. When he was younger, naïve even, he would scoff at whoever claimed that they were their leader, as he follows no one but himself. Now? He followed a leader, listened to his orders but never obeying it—he wasn’t obligated to do so, that was their silent agreement.

He wasn’t tied down, but he felt just the same, not by his leader, but by the situations at hand.

“Small animal.”

A brunette who sat on the office chair perked up, his ever-present smile loop-sided. “Hey, Hibari.” He was leaning back onto the chair, bone-deep exhaustion in his eyes, shadows under them. “How is your recovery?”

“You know that better than I do.” Hibari deadpanned, leaning against the shelves with his arms crossed. Tsuna merely chuckled, not the slightest offended. He was too used to the other’s attitude, grateful for the unchanging man for too many changes had been made—far too many for Tsuna to be comfortable with. “I’m glad that you’re alright.” He said silently, genuinely.

Hibari merely grunted. Tsuna watched him a little longer before he sighed and pulled a file from the stack. He didn’t even look at it before leaning over the table, handing it too the skylark, who took it. “I didn’t want to send you, but you’re the only one who can do this.” He intertwined his hands together as he propped his elbows on the table, supporting his head.

Hibari read it through, eyes flitted over the words. He twitched slightly and reread- once, twice- before closing the file. “How long?” He looked into Tsuna’s brown eyes, watching and reading, taking it apart one by one.

“As long as you can.”

“… Alright.” He lingered, taking in the other slowly. Years ago, when he first met the brunette, he was skittish, timid but filled with fire, eyes ever so bright. Age and war had done him good, where he had no longer carry the same innocent, the same genuine honesty in his body, all replaced by the façade of a criminal boss, hiding. It was something that he—all of the guardians too—loved and cherished, but it was a weakness.

He mourned for the loss for a second. He nodded to the brunette one last time, file tucked under an arm and turned, walking to the door. His hand paused from turning the knob at the silent question.

“Do you regret it, Hibari?” He did not look back.

“… No.”

And he was out of the office, leaving Tsuna to himself and his thoughts.

Tsuna tighten his grip on his hands, leaning his forehead onto it as he sighed. ‘God, please. Open a new path for them.’

.

“Reborn, catch!” Reborn, face shielded from the world by his fedora as he lounged on the grass, reached up and easily caught a cold can of beer. He lifted his fedora and gave Colonello a look. The blonde was holding onto his own can with a splitting grin as he came up to Reborn’s side, sitting cross-legged. “What do you want, idiot?”

“I’m bored.” Reborn twitched.

“Go bother the lackey, then.” Colonello rolled his eyes. Even though the hitman seemed like he didn’t want the blonde to bother him, he didn’t chase him away. Instead, he had sat up and cracked open the beer. Colonello took a large gulp, sighing at the familiar burn at the back of his throat. Not as much as vodka or gin, but still a burn.

Reborn had drank it slowly instead, gazing afar. Colonello lowered his can as he watched how quiet he was. It wasn’t a foreign sight, but it was rare. Every time, whenever a piece moved, an attack made, Reborn would be silent in the aftermath. No, not every time. Whenever it involved the Vongola.

If there was any Famiglia that could stand against the Arcobaleno, it was the Vongola. They were strong, their foundation hardened by years and years of bond, history and equal amount of experiences. Colonello didn’t know why, but if he didn’t know better, he would have thought that it might be because Reborn was frustrated that they wouldn’t stay down.

But he knew it wasn’t that. (Because instead of frustration, Reborn would be more delighted.)

“Where were you?” He asked silently, breaking the small peace in the air. “The night after the fight with the Vongola.”

Reborn didn’t answer as he continued. “Luce was worried, you know. You—you left after you healed us.” _And you neglected your own_ was what he didn’t say.

“I came back, didn’t I?”

Colonello frowned. “Yeah, but you—"

“It’s none of your business, dumbass.” Reborn’s tone left no room for argument, hard and stiff, filled with anger and annoyance. Colonello clicked his mouth shut. There was something wrong with Reborn. Everything felt— _different_. Ever since the war started, he had never been the same. Not exactly, not fully.

“… I’m worried, man. We all are.” He took a small sip as Reborn downed his. “How long do you think that all of us knew you? We know you are strong, but we’re here for you just the same.” It started with Luce who first found Reborn. Then it was Fon, Lal, Mammon, then Verde. Colonello and Skull was the last to find their place and when they did, all eight of them were tight-knitted, together conquering everything, protecting one and another despite how disentangle they all were.

They were but Family. ( _Were they, truly?_ )

“Nothing that you can do about it.” Was what Reborn answered, voice empty and slightly parched from the beer. He crushed the can with one hand and stood, leaving the ex-soldier behind with a wave. “Don’t bother thinking about it. It will only hurt your brain.”

Colonello’s can crumbled slightly under his tight grip as he watched the disappearing back. He wasn’t angry. He was concerned.

“….” He finished his beer at one go.

“We won’t stop until you tell us what’s going on, Reborn.” _We want nothing but to help after all_. Colonello whispered to the wind, turning to the view Reborn had stared. It was beautiful, serene, untouched.

A safe haven for all of them.

‘But is it yours any longer, Reborn?’

.

“Kill him.” Was what Luce had said the moment Reborn stepped into her office. Reborn’s facade was tightly placed by default, the words couldn’t do anything other than increasing the blankness.

“Who?”

Luce turned away from the window she was looking out of to the hitman, her usual smile absent from her face. “You know exactly who I’m talking about, Reborn.” She shuffled over to him, reaching out to take his hands. She grasped it, squeezed it, but the hitman didn’t as he watched her, eyes void of emotions she could read.

“He’s not good for you, Reborn. He’s just using you, can’t you see?” Reborn didn’t answer her as she continued. “Please, I’m worried. I can’t- He’ll kill you when he has the chance, Reborn.” She plead, voice shaky as she wrapped her arms around him, leaning her head on his chest. “Reborn, we can’t lose you. _I_ can’t lose you.

“He’s _toxic_ , Reborn. He’s a plague.” (Wrong.)

She looked up and straight into his eyes, searching, for anything at all, but there was nothing. His black eyes, an abyss that threatens to either drown or protect, void. Luce couldn’t read him, but she could see the determination in them. (Wrong.)

She was pleased to see that, knowing that Reborn would kill the man. ( _Wrong_.)

“I’m glad, thank you.” She buried her face on his chest, smiling. She never noticed, in her moments of glee, that he did not return it, nor did he spoke more than one word during that meeting.

(Oh, how wrong she was, the ever-seeing sky. She couldn’t never read him, not in the past, not in the present, and never in the future. She would never understand him, never will know what he needs. She was _greedy_ , wanting the Sun whose heart would never be hers, who’s soul had long committed to one—and only one—person. And that person wasn’t her.

She would know, soon, that it was her mistake all along, her fault to the downfall, to the darkness, to her  _death_.)

.

It was a trap; one to lure Vongola in and swallow them, ending their legacy once and for all. The goal? Kill the queen bee of the nest—or king as the matter of fact—and Vongola would be finished. Luce planned it along with Verde and Mammon, clear, concise and straightforward. The three of them would negotiate with the Vongola representative—no doubt that Sawada Tsunayoshi was going to appear—while the rest would infiltrate the Vongola’s fortress.

It sounded easier than it seemed, but Luce was confident. She had proudly announced that their success rate was 95%. And it was.

Except that she miscalculated.

While she, Verde, Mammon and a few dozen or so underlings were meeting up with Tsuna, Gokudera and Yamamoto, Reborn and the rest had sneaked into Vongola. The negotiation was bounded to fail and thus, they would attack and aimed to kill the trio, who came without any backup.

It was up until the last moment where Luce thought that she had Tsuna’s life in hand, Mammon jumped ship. Unknown to all but a handful, Mammon had sworn loyalty to the Varia; Vongola’s personal assassin group. Mammon was a spy yet not. Mammon was once an Arcobaleno before Mammon became a Varia; tied to two but one with rusty, broken chain.

Their standing was very clear the moment they turned around and killed off the underlings personally, leaving Luce and Verde alive.

Tsuna wasn’t surprised. Luce’s face turned ugly.

“Traitor!” She screeched, clutching onto her bleeding arm with Verde and his machineries blocking them.

Mammon gazed at her in disdain, lips pulled thin as they floated near Tsuna. Near, but nowhere too close. They were after all not Tsuna’s, but Xanxus’. “Perhaps, but your flames had long turned black, Luce. We’ve never been completely compatible; you were never my True Sky. It was long overdue; me leaving.”

Her flames fluctuated violently in the air, rage burning and boiling. Verde flinched at the small whiplash from it, but he stood tall, watching Mammon with critical eyes. He knew what Mammon was talking about, understood it even.

Mammon turned to him. “So where would you stand, Verde?”

He was silent, even when Luce’s glare snapped towards his back, boring holes. Her grip on her gun tightened, her flames surrounding him in silent threat.

“What do you offer?”

Luce roared but before she could attack him, Tsuna had used his flames to suppress hers. Tsuna smiled at him, orange eyes glinting.

“Everything.”

Verde hummed, tapping his hands against his elbow as he crossed his arms in contemplation. Luce was spewing curses, actively attacking Tsuna’s flames but it was clear who was stronger; her greed and pride had long tainted her pure flames.

She gritted her teeth and hurriedly connected to Reborn and the others who were infiltrating Vongola ground, spatting that both Verde and Mammon are traitors and that they should hurry and seize the fortress.

Unexpectedly, radio silence was all she got from all except—

“Goodbye, Luce.”

Reborn.

Her bonds with her all of her guardians snapped and broke off.

A scream resonated in the air, music to all.

.

The pain last for but a short moment, burning sharply before dulling and disappearing like fireworks. For a moment, breathing was hard, but the moment was short, heavenly. And when everyone calmed, their heart surged, swelled and burst in happiness.

Reborn sighed blissfully when everything subsided, uncaring about the drying blood on his skin. He ignored the sounds of groans around him, ignored the indignant betrayal tinted voice and grinned with all teeth.

“You bastard! Luce had _saved_ you—you ungrateful scum!”

Reborn scoffed. The Vongola that surrounded them was silent as the Arcobaleno’s underlings screamed, eyes uncaring at how they were dying in their puddles of red, dismembered limbs and fleshes. “Saved me?” He mocked. “If she had saved me, I would have died for her.” His eyes glinted murderously.

He crouched down, tilting the chin of the one who shouted at him. “She is anything but a saint. I would rather her leave me to die if I had known better back then.”

And the man’s head burst, blood spurting. His comrades who fared no better paled even more than they already had at the sight and one of them vomited on the spot. Flicking a stray piece of flesh that was stuck to his skin, he backed up and smiled brightly at the rest. “Hope you burn even in hell.”

He turned and waved. The Vongola closed in and finished the job, cleaning team in the midst.

There was a little skip in his steps as he headed deeper into the forest, uncaring even though it was Vongola’s territory. They had won the war and Reborn was no longer an Arcobaleno. Everything ended and Reborn was finally _free_.

His flames purred, satisfied and happy, rolling under his skin that finally felt like his.

Hibari. Where was Hibari? Where was his world? He had not seen the warlock-like guardian anywhere ever since the start of the war. He knew he was somewhere near his vicinity, probably watching somewhere high above like a hawk. He _knew_ he was around everywhere he went after the previous encounter. His flames had been crying and whining, wanting to intertwine with the cloud, wanting to feel him.

Reborn watched, vigilante but eagerness deep in him, far more impatient that he himself had expected. After all, it _had_ been almost a year or so since they last met. He dearly missed him, so much that his bone ached, pained.

The further he walked into the forest, the more wary he was, eyes narrowed and hands twitching for his gun. Hibari was still around, but he could not pinpoint his exact position. His flames were whining again at how unfair it was for the cloud to spread out so far, messing with him.

Well, he mused, it was much more exciting this way.

Just as he stepped pass a root of a large, aged tree, a shadow dropped down from above. Reborn immediately jumped back and pulled his gun out, a loud thud resonated in the forest as a dent formed on the bark. Using the momentum, his assailant rushed towards him in a blur, weapon brandished.

Reborn blocked the attack with the grip of his gun, clashing loudly and shock vibrated through his arm at how much force was used. Blood boiling, he aimed a kick to the other’s abdomen, forcing him back away before firing once, twice, both aimed for the head and carotid arteries, both perfectly dodged.

A chain whipped towards his direction and he tilted his body away from it. The sharp end of the chain embedded deeply into a tree behind Reborn and purple flames flared. Reborn grinned widely as he reached out to grip the chain, not caring it if was burning his hand. (His flames surged, singing, _pleased_.)

He pulled the chain harshly, dragging the attacker forward to his direction. He raised his other arm to block another attack from the metal tonfa, ignoring the pain as he released the chain. He swiftly switched his gun to his free hand and pushed the muzzle against the others neck, just as the other grabbed his neck tightly and _squeezed_.

The two of them reached a standstill, stares clashing.

“I could pull the trigger.” Reborn said.

“I could break your neck.” Hibari replied and Reborn was slightly aroused at how feral it sounded and because he _knew_ that Hibari could indeed break his neck just as fast as he could shoot him.

Nevertheless, he was _exhilarated._ Breaking out into loud laughter, Reborn leaned forward, disregarding of the hand that tightened its grip further and captured the other’s lips. Almost immediately, the weapons were dropped. Reborn raked his fingers through the mop of black as he pulled him closer, deepening the kiss, not letting him to move away.

Hibari was not far behind. Although he did not release his grip on the other’s throat, he pulled the man’s collar roughly, popping a few buttons on the top. He bit, licked and swallowed, wet noise loud in the silent forest.

Reborn pulled the hair roughly, smiling against the pair of sweet, _sweet_ lips as they broke slightly for air before diving back into it again. Their bruised lips bled, blood mixed into one in the exchange. They broke off again and Reborn dived down, pulling open the other’s collar to bite down harshly, marking him. Hibari was harsher as he returned the deed, licking, sucking and gnawing Reborn’s nape until the skin broke.

Growling, Reborn pulled Hibari’s white, wrinkled shirt out from his tight trousers and stuck his hand under it, still refusing to let go of the pale white skin from his mouth. He tore the shirt in his frenzy, hands roaming, caressing, memorising his beloved’s frame. Scratching at places he knew the other loved, he pulled him close, grinding their lower parts together.

A noise rumbled at the back of Hibari’s throat as he pulled the other up again for another long, deep kiss. His nails, sharp as always, dug into Reborn’s back and front, dragging down from his chest to his abdomen. His shirt was somehow torn as well, but that just made him more aroused than ever.

Reborn slipped a hand down Hibari’s trousers and entered a digit, swallowing the grunt of pleasure, far too lost to even care where they were. It was not like Hibari had not put up a barrier around them after all.

“Hurry.” Hibari urged, palming against his painfully hard member over his tight trousers, pulling at his belt. Reborn chuckled as he continued to finger the other open, pleased at how easily Hibari’s body took his fingers in, swallowing it. “Patience, dear.” He purred, tweaking a nipple. He entered another finger, loving how Hibari grunted again, borderline moaning because _not yet_.

“You’re so _tight_ , love.” He was, and Reborn was absolutely gleeful about it. It meant that Hibari had not find anyone else during the period of their separation. It made him so pleased and happy, all insecurities disappearing as though they never existed in the first place.

“Shut up.” Hibari snarled against his neck as he leaned his forehead against his shoulder, biting as he undid Reborn’s belt, pulling the hard member out. Veins protruded through the skin as it stood tall, eager for attention. Reborn hummed, pleased as the other wrapped his hands around it, squeezing and stroking as he eased the third finger in. That was when Hibari’s patience broke.

He gripped the hitman’s neck again, pulling him down so that their forehead leaned against each other, eyes burning as their breath lingered. “ _Fuck me._ ”

The last bit of Reborn’s thinning restrain snapped.

Reborn snarled, pulling down the rest of Hibari’s trousers to reveal the lovely pair of legs and of course, his member. Pushing him against a tree, he hoisted him up, biting down on his nape as those legs winded themselves around his waist, tightly holding onto him. Easily positioning them, he entered.

Hibari gasped silently as the both of them stilled, waiting for the cloud to adjust. It _had_ been a long time. Reborn relished the tight heat, downright in bliss. Too long, he decided. He missed Hibari so damn much that he was almost overwhelmed by his emotions.

Kissing away the tears that hanged on his lashes, he tenderly, lovingly kissed Hibari, distracting him. He wasn’t all that concern that Hibari couldn’t take it, but he _was_ worried that he would injure the other. “Alright?”

Hibari grunted and squeezed. He wounded his arms tightly around the other’s neck and whispered on his lips, millimetres away. “ _Move_.”

And he did.

(Their flames snapped in place, intertwining, blending and merging into one. _Home_.)

.

The rest of the Arcobaleno broke and separated; Mammon to Varia, Colonello following Lal Mirch to CEDEF, Verde to his own base to consider Tsuna’s offer properly, Skull to wherever he wanted, and Fon and Reborn staying in Vongola.

Unsurprisingly, Fon was Hibari’s uncle despite being almost the same age; Fon was apparently the youngest among his siblings. What was unexpected was that Fon was actually Hibari’s own spy, _and his lover did not even bother telling him_. (Fon had far too much fun watching his confused state. At least he had gotten his revenge when Fon almost flipped when Hibari revealed their relationship. Honestly, both he and Fon had been played by the cloud.)

Integrating into a new famiglia was going to take time, and time they had, since the war has finally ended.

Lying on the bed, his arms wrapped around Hibari as he drew random patterns on skin, smiling softly. His eyes were gentle, pupils dilated as he lovingly took in his lover. His lover, who he can finally declare to the world. His life, who he can finally openly love.

His everything, who he can finally soar side by side.

Hibari’s eyes squinted at him, tired but satisfied. He took the initiative to move closer, shifting their position as he lied on top of him, bare skin against bare skin. He leaned an ear against Reborn’s chest, closing his eyes. The steady heartbeat seemed to be beating at the same time as his once, twice, again and again. It lulled him, calmed him.

Reborn placed a chaste kiss on top of his head, holding him tight yet gentle.

“I love you.”

“… Mn. Love you too.”

( _The red string of fate tangled and bound, the oath of eternity snapping in place._

_I’ll be the one who kill you, and you’ll be the one who kills me._

_Together, even after the end of time._

_You are mine, and I am yours._ )

**Author's Note:**

> This is the sequel to Clipped Wings! I had been writing this since last year and I finally managed to finish it! Yayy!! *flops*
> 
> THE SMUT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE I S2G IDK WHY /////A\\\\\\\\\ This is the first time I wrote smut forgive meeeee! ~~I should be studying or something but noooo, I'm writing this~~
> 
> Tsuna gave Hibari the mission to spy on Reborn, yes. He was trying to help. Fon really did not know that Hibari and Reborn were together. When he knew, he almost kneed Reborn in the face. 
> 
> [I apologize for any grammar, spelling, etc. etc. mistakes]


End file.
